You may probably wake up in the morning, spotting out a zit formed on your facial skin surface, which was not even there the night before. Despite the way it influences how your skin looks, zits on your face will normally go away within days with proper hygiene and treatments. Some other time, however, you might notice zits formed under the surface of the skin. Most people do not realize there are some zits growing under their skin surface unless they touch the affected area. Although this type of zits—known also as cystic acne is not as apparent as standard zits popping out your skin surface, it is important to provide proper treatment immediately, as untreated under-the-skin zits may last for longer period and cause bad scars.

How zits form under the skin

The main cause of most acne is sebum blockage underneath the skin surface. There are some risk factors which contribute to sebum overproduction that may result in blocked pores and end up in pimples and zits, such as stress, hormonal imbalance, improper hygiene, and accumulated dead skin cells. Most pimples are formed because of blocked pores on the skin surface, which are infested by bacteria and accumulated with shedding dead skin.

Quite differently, some sebum blockages are located inside the pore, instead on the surface of the pores itself. These trapped sebum blockages are thus infested with bacteria that are also trapped under the skin. Instead of appearing on the surface of the skin in a form of blackheads, these zits are embedded under the skin, on the skin tissues, causing the infested area to become red and swollen. On the skin surface, this is the effect that is visible. Generally, zits formed under the skin are larger than average pimples, due to the inflammation undergone by the site on the skin tissues under the surface of the skin. You often notice its appearance as these blind zits are painful, as affected by its location that is closer the nerves. Its severe inflammation also contributes to the more severe pain compared to any average pimples you have got.

How zits under the skin are different from the ones on the skin surface

• Appearance

  • Zits under the skin are different from standard zits as these cystic acne are commonly red and swollen and filled with pus, while standard zits are generally whitish or blackish, as a result of the accumulation of infesting bacteria, dead skin cells, and trapped oil on the surface of the pores.
  • While standard zits commonly have got a white tip, zits formed under the skin do not, although both are filled with accumulated pus. Therefore, you will need to put warm compress to encourage zits under the skin to burst faster.

• Time to heal

  • Standard zits and pimples will require days to fully heal, although the healing process depends on some different contributing factors, such as hygiene, diet, treatment, and severity. On the contrary, cystic acne requires longer time to heal. On the initial days, you might not physically notice the zits, other than the swollen, red area on the face. It requires time before bursting and eventually healed.

• Resulted scars

  • Whiteheads and blackheads that are not carelessly popped will not contribute any permanent scars to your face. Hence, resulted scars from these types of acne usually get less noticeable within 3 to 6 months, or faster with proper remedies and treatments. However, cystic acne may cause more severe scars that in some people, can be permanent. Carelessly-treated cystic acne may trigger deeper scars on the skin that are known as ice picks or rolled acne scars that are difficult to fully eliminate.